Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40419748›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Construction and validation of a cell based reporter assay for identifying inhibitors of SARS coronavirus 2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase activity.

Eunjeong Kang, Haelim Yoon, Junho Lee, JinAh Lee, Seungtaek Kim, Inseong Jo, Soo Bong Han, Dae Gwin Jeong, Sayeon Cho

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Eunjeong Kang *Laboratory of Molecular and Pharmacological Cell Biology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
Haelim Yoon *Laboratory of Molecular and Pharmacological Cell Biology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
Junho LeeLaboratory of Molecular and Pharmacological Cell Biology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
JinAh LeeZoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, 13488, Republic of Korea.
Seungtaek KimZoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, 13488, Republic of Korea.
Inseong JoInfectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.
Soo Bong HanInfectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea.
Dae Gwin JeongBionanotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
Sayeon ChoLaboratory of Molecular and Pharmacological Cell Biology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea. sycho@cau.ac.kr.

Funding

National Research Foundation of Korea 2021M3E5E3080847National Research Foundation of Korea RS-2022-NR067509
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a highly conserved enzyme essential for SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication and transcription, represents a promising antiviral strategy due to its lower mutation rate than structural proteins such as Spike. This study introduces a cell-based assay system for screening potential SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors, contributing to ongoing efforts to identify effective antiviral agents. The assay utilizes a reporter vector containing the 3' untranslated region (UTR), luciferase reporter gene, and 5' UTR gene, sequentially arranged in reverse under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter in the pcDNA3.1 vector. Co-transfection with SARS-CoV-2 RdRp resulted an increase in luminescence-based quantification of RdRp activity, achieving a Z-factor of 0.605, indicative of high reproducibility and reliability for high-throughput screening. Established RdRp inhibitors, including remdesivir, molnupiravir, tenofovir, and sofosbuvir, significantly reduced reporter activity, with remdesivir exhibiting the strongest inhibition. A newly identified RdRp inhibitor was further validated through primer extension polymerase and NMPylation assays, along with virus-based experiments, confirming its inhibitory mechanism. These results highlight the utility of this screening system in identifying effective RdRp-targeting antivirals, reinforcing the strategic importance of RdRp inhibition in combating SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsCoronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseEnzyme InhibitorsRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseSARS-CoV-2Adenosine MonophosphateAlanineCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentGenes, ReporterHEK293 CellsHigh-Throughput Screening AssaysHumansReproducibility of ResultsVirus ReplicationAdenosine MonophosphateAlanineAntiviral AgentsCoronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseEnzyme InhibitorsremdesivirRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseCell-based reporter assayHigh-throughput screeningRdRpSARS-CoV-2SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitor

Identifiers

PMID40419748
PMCPMC12106634

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.